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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mug — to rob
  4. spell — letters
  5. bark — to shout
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. kick — in football
  8. vault — a safe
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. spell — magic
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mug — a face
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. pass — to spend time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com